MARCO MATERAZZI says “argumentative” Rafa Benitez had “problems” with him, John Terry at Chelsea and Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
The 46-year-old Italian World Cup-winning defender played under the Spaniard at Inter Milan in 2010.
Former Inter defender Marco Materazzi has blasted former boss Rafa Benitez
He alleges the Spaniard and John Terry had problems at ChelseaCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Since then, the former Everton centre-half has publicly criticised Benitez on several occasions.
Now he has reignited the row by saying: “It’s not that he started well or ended badly at Inter. It’s that he didn’t even finish.”
Benitez, 60, penned a two-year deal at Inter after six years in charge of Liverpool.
But he was sacked just months later in December after winning the Fifa Club World Cup, following disappointing results in Serie A and Champions League.
Materazzi, who famously goaded Zinedine Zidane into headbutting him in the 2006 World Cup Final to get the Frenchman sent off, said: “He erased everything that [Jose] Mourinho had done.
“A manager is good when he builds empathy with players. We all had a good relationship with Mou, he did something really important.”
Mourinho lifted the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia with Inter before taking over Real Madrid.
Materazzi said his replacement Benitez “surely has the knowledge” after he “won the Champions League at Liverpool against Milan”.
However, he says the ex-Newcastle chief did not like him.
He continued: “At Inter he had problems with me. At Napoli he had problems with Cannavaro, at Chelsea he had problems with Terry and at Real Madrid he had problems with Cristiano or with somebody.
“He doesn’t like being told things and he’s always argumentative.
“Is it always the other people’s fault? In any case, I thanked him because I tried to take advantage of those mistakes and get some benefit from them.”
Benitez and Cristiano Ronaldo also endured a difficult relationship at MadridCredit: Action Images – Reuters
How Newcastle could line up under Rafa Benitez with Koulibaly and Sancho after Saudi takeover of club
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
